DE202004008007U1 - Rotary Sealer - Google Patents

Abstract

Continuous sealing device for welding sealing the opening margin of the (R) of filled with sterile goods Packaging bags (VB) made of weldable plastic film, consisting of from one in a continuous guide (2) of the device arranged welding tool (3) for detection and welding the opening edge (R) of the respective passing bag (VB) and one in the end area the flow control (2) of the device housing (1) arranged Printing unit (4) for printing on the sealed opening edges (R), characterized in that that the printing unit (4) from a programmable thermal print head (4 ') and this about one parallel to and immediately above the flow guide (2) out Thermal transfer ribbon (5) arranged and this ribbon (5) from also about the flow control (2) arranged supply and take-up spools (6,6 ') is guided, between which the thermal print head (4 ') acts in relation to the ink ribbon (5) is arranged, wherein in the flow guide (2) in front of the thermal print head (4 ') an operative connection with this and the ribbon drive in control standing sealing edge sensor (7) is arranged.

Description

The Innovation concerns a continuous sealing device for welding sealing the opening edges of with Sterile goods filled Packaging bags made of weldable plastic film, consisting of from one in one pass of the device arranged welding tool for detection and welding the opening edges of the each passing bag and from one in the end of the flow of the Device housing arranged Printing unit for printing the sealed opening edges.

Flow sealing devices are, for example, after DE 296 10 976 U1 known and provided such devices, as stated in the introduction, with a printer DE 200 19 799 U1 are equipped, these printers in connection with such special flow sealing devices, as far as known, are exclusively so-called dot-matrix printing units. Such flow-through sealing devices are also so-called semi-automatic machines, in that the filled and sealed bags are placed and pushed in by hand into the laterally open flow guide, in which, with the passage of a film preheater, further transport takes place by means of two endless transports between two sealing rolls, that seal the two adjacent opening edges of a bag together. This is followed by the printing of the seal edge, for example, with content-specific data, specifically by means of the dot matrix printer arranged in the end region of the continuous guide in the device housing. Content-specific data are to be understood, for example, as the sterilization date, the expiry date, batch number, so-called BAR codes and the like.

such Rotary sealers have as regards the printing of the bag sealing edges improvement proven, i.e. the flow sealing device should be easier to control, result in a better print image, variable font sizes and if desired also the pressure transfer of graphic representations.

This The task is on sealing devices the type mentioned after the innovation solved in that the printing unit formed from a programmable thermal print head and this over a parallel to and immediately above the flow control out Thermal transfer ribbon arranged and this ribbon from also arranged above the flow guide Out and take-up spools between which the thermal print head is in the active position to the ribbon is arranged, being in the flow guide in front of the thermal print head one with this and the ribbon drive in a controlling operative connection standing sealing edge sensor is arranged.

Such, for the so-called thermal transfer printing certain, programmable thermal printer are known, but come, as far as known, especially for label printing to use, as separate devices, the one on a carrier tape Continuously spaced and fed labels with the data entered in each case by thermal exposure the ribbon printed with so-called "dots" become. Such separate thermal transfer printing devices are already an item of equipment of packing tables for the sterile goods packaging of interest here by means of the above-mentioned flow sealing devices, whereby however, the printed labels after detaching from their carrier tape on the sealing edges the sealed packaging bag or whatever Need to become.

one immediate transmission this thermal transfer printing method, which is excellent and durable leads to durable printing results even on plastic films Flow sealing devices stood however contrary to it with these devices, as mentioned, are so-called semi-automatic machines, which are therefore not evenly continuous Supply of the sealing edges to be printed is to be realized. Besides that, it was not to be expected that this would happen Can successfully apply thermal transfer printing even when while advantageously avoiding label transfer from the sealing process already warmed up or still relatively warm foil seal edges should be printed.

Under a programmable thermal print head is therefore a print head understand with those on the ribbon facing away from the printer Side, by heat and a certain pressure transferable Color when in print contact and by program on the print head set letters, numbers or other representations the sealing edge area of the bag in question is reproduced accurately. The one on the desired Data set printhead or its so-called, individually "dots" that can be brought into effect thus form a Easily programmable print medium with the interposition of the ribbon transfers the set data by thermal transfer, which, as it were burned in, indelibly find their reproduction on the sealing edges.

Apart from the simple programming of what is to be printed, which is to be effected by means of an input keyboard, the device can be easily controlled with regard to the further transport of the ink ribbon, in accordance with a seal edge arriving in the throughfeed, which does not arrive in a uniform manner stands, since the bags to be sealed are manually entered into the sealing device. For this reason, a sealing edge sensor is arranged in the flow guide in front of the thermal print head, which is connected and if necessary connected to the transport drive for the thermal ink ribbon via the device control. allows the thermal transfer process to begin slightly later.

in the Contrary to the previously used thermal transfer printing process, the synchronous run of Farband, for example label tape and more requires synchronous printing, in a continuous process, is ensured with the new type of flow sealing device that this synchronicity only for that actual printing process on the sealing edge just passing the print head guaranteed is a switch to a desired other printing ink easily done by changing the ribbon. Around such a change or an exchange for a new one Ribbon as simple as possible carry out to be able there is a preferred, particularly advantageous and in detail even closer embodiment to be explained in that the Spools with their ribbon in the form of an interchangeable cassette are whose cassette parts enclosing the coils with a ribbon that runs tangentially from the spools leading footbridge are connected in which a passage window for the pressure-active part of the Thermal print head is arranged.

With consideration after all, that is the simple cassette interchangeability Device housing in the area the printer and cartridge assembly with a closable access opening and also with an input keyboard for the programming.

The novel sealing device is based on the drawing of exemplary embodiments explains it in more detail shows schematically

1 in perspective an embodiment of the continuous sealing device;

2 schematically shows a longitudinal section through the device;

3 perspective an embodiment of the ribbon cassette and

4 in perspective a preferred embodiment of the continuous sealing device.

The flow sealing device still exists and in a known manner with reference to the 1 . 2 from one in one pass 2 the welding tool 3 for capturing and welding or sealing the opening edges R of the respective bag VB and from one in the end region of the flow guide 2 of the device housing 1 arranged printing unit 4 for printing on the sealed opening edges R. The bags VB to be sealed and printed are still placed on the left of the device, detected by a transport device TE and transported on for sealing and printing. Heating devices and pressure or sealing rollers required for this purpose are provided with the reference symbols H and A.

For such a continuous sealing device it is now essential that the printing unit 4 from a programmable thermal print head 4 ' formed and this over a parallel to and immediately above the flow guide 2 led thermal transfer ribbon 5 arranged. This ribbon 5 is also from the flow guide 2 arranged spools and packages 6 . 6 ' performed, between which the thermal print head 4 ' in action to the ribbon 5 is arranged, being in the flow guide 2 in front of the thermal print head 4 ' a sealing edge sensor that is in operative connection with this and the ribbon drive (not particularly shown) 7 is arranged.

This via device control 12 (please refer 2 ) sensor connected to the ribbon drive 7 ensures that an unused, new ribbon section is available for the incoming bag or sealing edge R, which adjoins the pre-used section as closely as possible.

With regard to the fact that on the one hand in the thermal transfer printing process the surface to be printed and the ink ribbon 5 synchronously under the stationary thermal print head 4 ' pass through, the tempered and preprogrammed "dots" of the printhead being brought into effect at the throughput speed, and that, on the other hand, in contrast to label printing when sealing bags, sealing edges of different thicknesses can be obtained and are to be printed, but always with the same, relatively weak contact pressure For ink transfer must be observed, an advantageous development is that the thermal print head 4 ' with the thermal transfer ribbon 5 in terms of the level of pass through 2 distance adjustable in the device housing 1 is arranged. This distance adjustability ranges from just a fraction of a millimeter to a few millimeters. This is not shown in a special way and also cannot be explained in a special way, since corresponding design options and elements are readily available.

With reference to 3 are the coils 6 . 6 ' with her ribbon 5 in the form of an exchangeable cassette 8th trained whose the coils 6 . 6 ' enclosing parts of the cassette 8th' through one the tangential from the coils 6 . 6 ' running and rising ribbon 5 leading footbridge 9 are connected, in a pass-through window 10 for the pressure-active part of the thermal print head 4 ' is arranged.

In order to be able to change or exchange a ribbon on the continuous sealing device without complications, the device housing is 1 in the area of the printer and cassette arrangement with a lockable access opening 11 provided like this in 1 is indicated by dashed lines.

With regard to the programmable thermal print head 4 ' is the device housing 1 on the operator side with a programming panel 12 provided, this programming panel 12 referring to 4 preferably as a separate accessory on the front surface inclined like a desk 13 of the device housing 1 is arranged, which also has a display on the operator side 14 is provided to display the respectively programmed current print data.

Claims (7)

Continuous sealing device for welding sealing the opening edges of the (R) of packaging bags (VB) filled with sterile goods made of weldable plastic film, consisting of a in a continuous guide ( 2 ) the welding tool ( 3 ) for detection and welding of the opening edges (R) of the respective bag (VB) and from one in the end area of the flow guide ( 2 ) of the device housing ( 1 ) arranged printing unit ( 4 ) for printing on the sealed opening edges (R), characterized in that the printing unit ( 4 ) from a programmable thermal print head ( 4 ' ) formed and this over a parallel to and immediately above the flow guide ( 2 ) guided thermal transfer ribbon ( 5 ) arranged and this ribbon ( 5 ) also from the flow guide ( 2 ) arranged supply and take-up spools ( 6 . 6 ' ) between which the thermal print head ( 4 ' ) in the active position to the ribbon ( 5 ) is arranged, with in the flow guide ( 2 ) in front of the thermal print head ( 4 ' ) a sealing edge sensor that is in operative connection with this and the ribbon drive ( 7 ) is arranged. Continuous sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal print head ( 4 ' ) with the thermal transfer ribbon ( 5 ) with regard to the level of the flow control ( 2 ) distance adjustable in the device housing ( 1 ) is arranged. Continuous sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coils ( 6 . 6 ' ) with her ribbon ( 5 ) in the form of a replaceable cassette ( 8th ) are formed, the coils ( 6 . 6 ' ) surrounding cassette parts ( 8th' ) through the tangential of the coils ( 6 . 6 ' ) running and rising ribbon ( 5 ) leading footbridge ( 9 ) are connected in which a passage window ( 10 ) for the print-active part of the print head ( 4 ' ) is arranged. Continuous sealing device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device housing ( 1 ) in the area of the printer and cassette arrangement with a lockable access opening ( 11 ) is provided. Continuous sealing device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device housing ( 1 ) on the operator side with a programming panel ( 12 ) for the thermal print head ( 4 ' ) is provided. Continuous sealing device according to claim 5, characterized in that the programming panel ( 12 ) as a separate accessory on the front surface inclined like a desk ( 13 ) of the device housing ( 1 ) is arranged. Continuous sealing device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the device housing ( 1 ) on the operator side with a display ( 14 ) is provided to display the respectively programmed print data.